Love Hina The Kanrinin's Pledge
by SlippyTheWeasel
Summary: Keitaro's in the hospital, hurt pretty bad this time, but he won't say how it happened. Haruka's pissed, and each of the girls is suspect. Who did this? Will Haruka follow up on her threat to evict them all if no one speaks up?


I don't own Love Hina. Wish I did. Ken does. I'm just along for the ride.

**Love Hina – The Kanrinin's Pledge**

**Fanfic **

**Chapter 01 - Prologue**

Manager's Journal, Hinata-sou Dormitory.

**11 Oct 1998.**

_Why me?_

_Today, I got a call from my grandmother to visit her at her hot springs hotel. Big joke on me. She's been gone for months on a world tour, and I show up and get my ass handed to me by her tenants. _

_Correction; MY tenants. _

_Seems that granny wants me to be the landlord and manager here. It's an all-girl dorm for crying out loud! What the heck is she thinking? _

_I can't do this. My nose is broken. That Narusegawa person kicked me in the face and broke it this afternoon after I accidentally entered their hot springs bath. And my ankle has swollen up from that damned exploding tank I stepped on. I can hardly put any pressure on it. And my shoulder. I did a good job of hiding it, but that sword caught me pretty good. Lucky for me _(this is luck?)_ there was a first aid kit in the manager's office. I'm afraid I'm gonna be relying on it an awful lot. _

_Then there's my aching groin. Again, that Narusegawa person. She was so intent on running away from me in the hot springs, why did she have to grab me there? She nearly pulled it off my body; now, I can't find any position that is comfortable enough to rest. _

_And if I can't rest, my body's healing ability won't be at full strength. I wish I had paid more attention when Haruka and Granny were trying to train me when I was younger, I might be able to consciously heal myself._

_But no, I couldn't handle the discipline, so I gave it up. Now, I'm in agony and I'm too afraid to seek medical help. If I leave this room to try and go out anywhere, those crazy girls will probably attack me again._

_Why me?_

_I was ready to tell them all the truth; that I am not in Tokyo University. Hell, Narusegawa already figured it out. She's a student at the same prep-school I attend. I made the mistake of grabbing her hand today when I was lost in one of my damned fantasy trips. I guess I should consider myself lucky that she didn't rip my head off at school. _

_But, just as I was about to tell them all the truth, Narusegawa lays out some story about talking my ear off about how I feel being a Tokyo University student._

_Damn it! I couldn't correct Aunt Haruka in front of the girls because I didn't want to make her look foolish. Now, I'm stuck in another lie because of Narusegawa. But, no matter what she's done, I can't bring myself to call her out as a liar, either. Better that I keep it secret, and take the fall myself. I know they're going to find out sooner or later. I'm not smart enough to carry on these kinds of charades. _

_And besides, I feel so ashamed letting them believe I'm a University student, I bet I won't even last a week before they figure it out, or Narusegawa decides she's had her fun and tells them._

_Why me?_

**12 Oct 1998**

_Why me?_

_Five psychotic girls! I'm surrounded by five psychotic girls! At least I was able to get enough sleep last night that the sword cut and my swollen ankle healed. My groin only hurt a little when I woke up._

_Didn't matter much. Kaolla Su kicked me in the head as a 'good morning' gesture, so I started the day with a roaring headache. Then I had to rush off for cram-school without anything to eat last night or this morning. _

_Damn, I don't think I can take these hour-long commutes to and from school. Plus, it seems that everywhere I turned today, that Narusegawa person was there. I go from never even noticing her before, to seeing that we are in almost every study class together. That and she's the number one student in the nation on the practice exams. Why me?_

_But, even though she charged me for a sandwich I thought she was sharing out of the kindness of her heart, I really appreciated it. Even though I was nauseous from the headache, I ate it to be polite. It did taste good, and I paid her for it when we got back to Hinata. But not before she knocked me down at the train station for being 'perverted'. Gods, can I help it if the train does an emergency stop, and she gets thrown up against me? Forget the fact she was leaning on my chest napping because she pulled an all-nighter last night. She felt so soft, and her hair smelled so . . . no, better not go there. I'm just a pathetic second year ronin, and she's smart, and she's cute, and she's so beautiful. I could never be good enough for her._

_But, why does my chest feel so tight just thinking about Narusegawa? And why do I get the feeling that she reminds me of someone? I can't think straight. My head still hurts. It feels like something split my skull when I landed on the concrete after she hit me. Hopefully I'll feel better in the morning. If I was a normal person, I'd have reported her and Kaolla Su to the police for assault. But, she did share her lunch with me. How come I can't ever stand up for myself?_

_Why me?_

_No sooner did I show up for dinner then that Narusegawa person hands me a noodle cup and tells me that the dining table is for paying tenants, not free-loading managers. So, here I am, in my room with another noodle cup for dinner and I'm wondering if things can't get any worse. Crap, my head hurts so much I can't even eat it. I was hoping that the girls would have warmed up enough that I could ask if they had something for the pain, but I guess that ain't ever gonna happen. I'll have to wait til later and flush it down the toilet. If I throw it out, one of the girls will probably beat me for wasting it._

_I feel so tired tonight. Maybe I'll skip studying and try to let my body heal instead. I could use it after today._

**13 Oct 1998**

_Maybe it would be easier if I just keep track of how many times crap happens around here. I hate writing when my head is splitting._

_Attacks:_

_Naru Narusegawa – Five attacks. One punch for being late getting downstairs this morning. One punch on the train to school for looking at her. A punch for rushing onto the train home at the last minute and tripping over her foot. A kick for falling over my own feet and up against Shinobu Maehara. A slap for being a baka._

_Motoko Aoyama – Two sword attacks. One for being late to breakfast this morning, and another for falling against Shinobu Maehara. Dodged in time to avoid getting cut again today but wrenched my back doing it._

_I am afraid I can see a pattern already. That's three days in a row that Narusegawa and Aoyama double-teamed me for the same reason. Kami help me, I'm scared._

_Kaolla Su – Two kicks; one in the head for good morning, another in the back to welcome me home. Crap, I can't even bend over now, it hurts so badly._

_Why me? Have I done something to deserve this? Does Granny know something I don't, and sent me here as punishment?_

**14 Oct 1998**

_Narusegawa – 3 attacks._

_Aoyama – 1 attack._

_Kaolla – 3 attacks. This time, in addition to good morning and welcome home, she attacked me with some sort of remote controlled mechanical turtle that hits like an electric cattle prod. Claimed she was just playing around and wanted to test my invincibility. I'm in serious pain, and because I hide it so the girls won't sorry, they think I'm invincible? Why me? And what the heck is that Kaolla, some kind of modern-day Doctor Frankenstein, testing her inventions on me? _

_Konno -1 attack. Well, to be honest, Konno didn't hit me. But, she did remove the sign saying that I was cleaning the hot springs, so, when the girls entered and found me there, I got another double team from Narusegawa and Aoyama. She laughed a lot at that. I hope you enjoyed the show, and thank you so much, Konno-san. I guess I can put down practical joker as well as conniving schemer to my impression of you._

_Why me? I wonder if I can beg mom and dad to take me back. I'd just about agree to anything to be able to go through a day without being half-scared out of my wits expecting to be attacked. I'd even consider giving up on Tokyo University if I thought I could get through a day safely. Kame, I'm afraid that I'm going to die here!_

**15 Oct 1998**

_Narusegawa – 3 attacks. What does that crazy girl do in her spare time, lift train cars for exercise? She punched me clear through a wall and half-way across the hot springs. Gods, if I hadn't landed in the water I don't think I would have survived. I really need to spend some time at night practicing my self-healing technique. I think I am gonna have to learn how to do it without thinking twenty-four hours a day around here if things keep up like this._

_Aoyama – 2 attacks. I am really scared shitless now! What is the heck is she? She didn't even touch me with her sword, and I was blasted across the common room! I thought that crap only happened in mangas! I had hoped to discuss my situation with them tonight, but that went out the window when Aoyama pulled that 'secret technique' on me. The way she looks down on me, if I say anything about being in pain most of the time, she'd see it as another weakness and kill me. Am I really such a despicable person that I deserve all this? I don't know anymore._

_Kaolla – 2 kicks. Would have been 3 attacks, but I dodged a damned fireball by sheer luck this afternoon. And she was laughing the whole time. If even young girls like her think I'm just a worthless sack of meat to be played with, maybe there is something wrong with me._

_When no one was watching, I used the phone and contacted a friend of Haruka's, Hikari Ishido, a doctor at Hinata Clinic. She's agreed to see me after I get off the train from cram school tomorrow. My head and back still hurt, but, as much as I'd like to, I can't go home like this. Mom and Dad would be sure to find out the truth, and then the girls would get in trouble. I can't do that to them. I'm the stranger here. It seems I have no choice anymore. I just hope I can survive long enough to find a way out of this mess Granny saddled me with. But, in spite of everything, I can't just leave and let them all down, even if I am a sad excuse for a manager. Why me?_

_Extra note: I'm screwed. It's not even safe when I am getting ready to try and sleep! Maybe I can find a dark hole to hide in at night. Narusegawa actually attacked me for being half-dressed after SHE poked her head through that damn hole in the ceiling. I'm going to get beaten if it's my fault or not, I guess._

**16 Oct 1998**

_Concussion. Doctor Ishido says I have a concussion. When she asked how it happened, I lied and told her I tripped and fell down the steps in front of Hinata. I told her I was still getting used to the place, and those stairs tire me out. I think she believed me._

_Well, the count today goes:_

_Narusegawa – 4 attacks._

_Aoyama – 1 attack. Well, if you call being chased all over the inn one attack. She wanted to challenge me to a damned duel! What does she think I am, a samurai? How the heck can she justify challenging me to a sword fight when she knows I have nowhere near her ability? Did she think it was a fair fight just because I'm a man? Anyways, maybe some good came out of it after all. I kinda helped her when she slipped on the roof, even if I ended up falling head-first into the hot springs. At least I landed in the water and not on the rocks._

_Kaolla – 2 attacks._

_Konno – 1 attack - She tricked me into touching her again, and Narusegawa saw fit to punch me through the window without even asking who was doing what to whom. Damn, those stones around the hot springs hurt almost as much as getting clocked by that…._

_No. I can't even write it, much less say it. Narusegawa is sweet and kind and friendly to all the others. It's just around me that she gets violent. I must be doing something to warrant all these attacks. My bad luck that I'm so clumsy and scared around girls. It must be my fault. Isn't it?_

**17 Oct 1998**

_I'm dead! They found my prep school ID. It must have fallen out of my pocket after I pulled Aoyama back onto the roof and then fell into the hot springs yesterday. I kinda hoped that would be the excuse I needed to leave, but no. That Narusegawa person conned me into agreeing to her terms to stay on as the landlord and manager. I don't want to be here, I don't belong here. Damn._

_Narusegawa – 2_

_Aoyama – 1_

_Kaolla – 2_

_Konno did apologize to me for yesterday, but she said I had it coming. She must be right. It's hard to think with the pain, but I'm sure she's right. Fortunately, Doctor Ishido agreed today to increase my pain medication. She wanted to keep me overnight in the hospital for observation said my concussion got worse, said something about the concussion is worse, but I can't. I have too much work to do around here. I think she thinks my concussion is worse. Kami, my head hurts. I need to sleep, but the girls have me working so hard I barely finish my work before I have to go to prep school. I'll rest on Sunday, no work or school that day._

Putting the journal down, Haruka chomps on her unlit cigarette and glares at the girls. "Six months! Six months Keitaro has been going through this crap! And you can see that after only one week here, his head was so addled he couldn't think straight. Is it any fucking wonder things got worse? And except for Shinobu, not a one of you even noticed, you just assumed it was Keitaro being perverted, or lazy, or idiotic." Staring at Naru, she glares coldly, her eyes like daggers. "Even from day one, Keitaro had feelings for you, and you treated him like dirt! You don't deserve someone like him! None of you do!"

Smacking her hand against the journal, Haruka continues, a hint of shame in her voice. "Look at this!; Narusegawa – 191; Aoyama – 116; Kaolla – 94; Konno – 1 (assists - 51); Haruka – 14. It's like Keitaro was keeping score. Four hundred assaults against Keitaro, over two a day, in just over six months, and he thought they were all HIS fault! AND to top it off, he covered for all of you when he had to go see a doctor about it. Do I need to continue? I'm FAMILY, but he didn't even have the nerve to tell me what was going on. But all of you, you saw it EVERY DAMNED DAY AND NEVER LET UP!"

Motoko, her sword fallen to the floor at her feet, clenches her hands. "B-but, Haruka-san, Urashima never spoke out, he never told us that we were causing him pain. How could we have known?" the sword maiden asks, not really believing her own words.

Standing beside Haruka, Hikari also glares at the tenants. "Not once did he tell me the truth behind the injuries I treated him for, but I am not a fool! It was obvious that his problems started after he arrived here. I'm sorry, but I disagree with Haruka. I think the WHOLE lot of you should be thrown out of here, and that includes Maehara-san." Shinobu's head, tears flowing freely down her cheeks, turns to look at the doctor as the other tenants start to interrupt. Hikari holds up a hand to forestall them. "She could have told someone, ANYONE, what was going on here. Would any of you have punished her if she did?"

Stunned looks cross the faces of the other girls as Naru sputters through her own tears, "None of us would ever do anything to hurt Shinobu-chan! How can you even think such a thing?"

Looking at the young cook, Haruka asks softly "Shinobu, why didn't you ever tell anyone what you were feeling, what was going on here? Why didn't you tell me or the girls? They'd have listened to you."

Shinobu bows her head, and tears fall into her hands. After a few seconds, she controls her sobs enough to say, "I-I, I w-was afraid at first that S-S-Sempai would kick my friends out if I told on them. Later, I w-was afraid they'd just . . . just b-b-beat him worse if they thought he had me taking his side. And if I had told anyone else, S-Sempai would hate me for getting his friends in trouble. And, and….Aaauuuuu! Sempai!" Kitsune, her own tears of shame preventing her from speaking, hugs the young cook closer as sobs overcome her again.

Turning to Hikari, Haruka says "See, it's like I told you. Shinobu was just an innocent caught in the middle of the madness, and she didn't know what to do or where to go. Don't hold it against Shinobu."

Hikari nods her head, but still not agreeing with the other woman. "Be that as it may, it does not change the fact that as we speak, Keitaro is lying feverish in my clinic, unwilling to tell me how he ended up wandering the streets last night in the pouring rain, battered, bruised, bleeding and half-naked."

Haruka turns again to face the girls. Placing her fists on her hips, she demands, "I'll ask one more time. Either someone confesses to this, or all of you, with the exception of Shinobu, will pack your bags and be out of here in 48 hours."


End file.
